I'm not a youngster! Cahill determined to force his way in to England line-up as he reaches his peak

For a man who performed so heroically in the Champions League final to be sat on the bench while England toiled against Ukraine in a World Cup 2014 qualifier seemed surprising.

But then England have always had, in recent history, a surplus of great centre-backs. Tony Adams, Sol Campbell, John Terry, Rio Ferdinand are four names which spring to mind. The fact we never missed a player of the oft-injured Ledley King’s supreme talent speaks for itself.

Chelsea defender Gary Cahill is a man who knows this better than most. He made his international debut in 2010 and has only managed to accrue 10 caps in the time since then.

Plans: Gary Cahill is determined to get back into Roy Hodgson's first team

But sadly, as fate would have it, just as he seemed to have established himself in England manager Roy Hodgson’s first team plans before Euro 2012, injury struck.

One unseemly shove from Dries Mertens, one collision with goalkeeper Joe Hart and Cahill’s international dreams hit a brick wall. And, he revealed to Sportsmail, they are still suffering because of it.

Cahill was hoping to feature against recent World Cup qualifiers against Moldova and Ukraine, but he was not selected to play alongside Terry in the former, to the benefit of Joleon Lescott.

Even when Chelsea captain Terry suffered an injury Phil Jagielka was picked in his stead for the latter.

‘I did hope that I would get an opportunity so I’d describe it as a bit disappointing for me,’ he said, speaking at a Just Play session at Wembley - part of a grassroots football scheme from Mars and the FA designed to get more people playing football.

‘I found out the night before the game. He (Hodgson) gave his reasons and he was brief, but he’s the sort of manager who’s quite approachable so you can speak to him.

‘But it’s disappointing from my point (of view), because at the back end of last year I had battled all season to get myself in a position where I felt like I was a big part, and then with the injury it was a massive blow.

Jawbreaker: The incident which forced Cahill out of the Euros

‘I didn’t realise how much of a massive blow it was until these last two games because before then I was really in the frame. These last two games have shown me just how bad the injury was. I’m back to the bottom and I have to work my way back up yet again. But that’s football.’

He added: ‘There’s some positions where we might be a little bit stretched but for centre-backs unfortunately it’s never been the situation. Ever since I’ve been involved there have been fantastic centre-backs and there are now.’

One reason Jagielka may have been selected is because of Leighton Baines stepping in to cover for Ashley Cole’s ankle injury.

Baines, like Cahill, is another man whose path to an international berth is blocked by an almost preposterously good challenger. Cole is widely regarded as the best left-back in the world and has been for several years, leaving Baines with little chance of gaining caps.

Both Jagielka and Baines play for Everton and that relationship may have tempted Hodgson to unite them in a white shirt. Throw in former Toffees defender Lescott and it seems like a very good idea indeed.

‘I think those three have obviously played together before,’ said Cahill. ‘There’s great players in my position – we’re blessed with some fantastic centre-backs.

‘So for me personally it’s a matter of working hard to get myself back where I want to be, and where I was.

Tough task: England have had a slew of great defenders recently

‘Once you get in the set-up you want to get in the team and once you get in the team you want to cement yourself as a fixture. It’s difficult.

‘Like I said, I keep touching on how bad that injury was and I didn’t think it was until the last two games – it’s put me back down where I don’t want to be.

‘It seems in football you’re always trying to prove yourself. You think “How many games, how many times can I play before I become a fixture?”. But I suppose you have to keep battling and keep working hard.’

And Cahill is firmly focused on breaking back into the starting line-up, rather than wallowing in what might have been.

‘There’s eight massive qualification games to come in the next two years that I want to be a big part of,’ he explained.

‘I’ve been really happy and really proud of my record when I have played in the 10 games. I’d had a handful of clean sheets and couple of goals, so I’m pleased with how things have gone and I don’t want it to be paused, I want to become a fixture.’

He continued: ‘You get your consistent performances through playing consistent games. When you’re in then you’re out, then in, then out it’s difficult to get momentum going.’

Chatter: Cahill talks to Everton left-back Leighton Baines

One of the benefits of having such talented compatriots is when you finally rise to the top and manage to stay there, you will have the finest playing partners. Cahill was happy to lavish his club and country team-mate Terry with praise.

‘You don’t need to worry about what he’s doing, you just need to worry about what you’re doing ,’ said Cahill. ‘He takes care of himself and it’s comforting to know there’s no worries about the way he plays.

Two of his younger colleagues for both Chelsea and England were also recipients of high compliments.

Left-back Ryan Bertrand made his competitive international debut against Ukraine and Cahill believes this is just the start for him.

‘I think he’s got a massive future. I think he could be the natural successor to Ashley when he moves on,’ he said.

‘He’s got everything. He’s really come to people’s attention after being chucked in at the deep end in the Champions League final and coped really well in it.’

Daniel Sturridge also impressed the defender. ‘He came on and had a great impact,' said Cahill.

Backing: Cahill is a big fan of Daniel Sturridge

‘He created a couple of chances. He had an impact on the game. If you asked him he’d probably hope that he could play a few more games at the minute but I’ve no doubt that will come.

‘If you saw him last season, especially at the start, the goals he scored for Chelsea. In the Olympics he scored some great goals. He’s an exciting player and one that with more football will probably flourish. With the quality that he possesses he will get that football.'

Cahill was pleased to see both the Olympics and Paralympics enjoyed by millions across the United Kingdom and hopes that more people will get involved.

'With the FA and Mars scheme, figures have shown they’ve got thousands of people back into playing football which is great,' he said. 'I’m sure that will now continue through other sports from the Olympics.'

But Cahill no longer considers himself to be up and coming like the stars at at the Games, and at 26 he is right not to do so, even if it would be easy to fall back and hide behind that veil as an excuse.

‘The next two years you’d like to think your coming into your peak, 27, 28. There are still things I need to learn in my game for sure,’ he said.

‘Sometimes people class me as being a young lad but I want to become a fixture now. I’m not as young as people think and I want to establish myself for club and country.’

Cahill has worked his way up before. And he is willing, ready and, most certainly of all, able to do it all again.

Mars and The FA are offering a week of free Just Play sessions at the beginning of October. Search online for Just Play.